1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to painting tools and to an edge paint tape having an improved absorbent barrier edge.
2. Description of the Related Art
To achieve a clean, finished look, painters edge with paint before they use rollers, the process of “blocking out” or “edging” generally includes the steps of shielding window panes and corner edges with masking tape, running a putty knife along the inner edge of the tape, applying paint with an edging brush, and allowing the paint to dry before removing the tape. The tape is sealed to prevent paint from oozing outwards onto the panes, the windows and the door frames.
A variety of specialty apparatus is designed for controlling the application of paint to edges, corners, or like margins. These devices have drawbacks that tend to fall into three major categories: (1) are hand-held fixed edger devices that demarcate between those surfaces not and to be painted; (2) are disposable adhesive coverings that dispense from rolls and adhere to edging areas; and (3) are paint applicators that comprise an edging or a guide means thereon. A fourth, novel type is described in a U.S. Ser. No. 11/334,065, the parent application to this filing, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,622,003, in which a fixed edger device is provided with an absorbent tape attached to the edging surface.
A disadvantage to fixed edgers without absorbent tape attached is that the technology still fails to provide clean, efficient edging. A disadvantage of the disposable coverings is that oozing still occurs. A disadvantage to the paint applicators is that they generally fail to provide a painted edge along a very exact locus.
There is still yet a long-felt need for a product that provides the high quality appearance sought for painted surfaces. The present invention improves on disposable coverings: it is masking tape having an improved barrier edge. A search of the prior art did not reveal any patents that read directly on claims of the instant invention; however, the following references are considered related: U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,255 to Sorenson teaches a “paint edger with improved pad and precision positioning adjustment” wherein a plurality of paint pad accessories disclosed therein include foam, porosity, and/or sponge-like pads to prevent spillage, through which paint flows through at a very slow speed; U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,203 to LaBelle discloses a “paint edger for the application of paint” having a cutout for easy removal of a reticulated plastic foam paint pad; and U.S. Publication 2005/0118345 to Burghoffer teaches a “paint edger,” wherein applicator pads are separated so that each may be used simultaneously and independently of the other to apply a different color paint to each of two intersecting surfaces. One or more applicator pads co-act with a separator guide blade to enable applying different surface coatings to intersecting surfaces.
The present invention improves on disposable coverings. A roll or strips of adhesive tape are adhered along edges, borders, panes and panels or actual paint edgers or tools prior to painting; however, the improved tape comprises an integral absorbent material portion along its length to further prevent oozing.